The race for Uganda’s 2031 presidency has burst into life after the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) officially launched Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s bid for the country’s highest office.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, September 1, at the PLU Chairman’s Office in Kampala, where legislators, local leaders and supporters gathered for what quickly turned into a major political moment.
David Kabanda, the Executive Secretary in the Office of the PLU National Chairman, told the gathering that Muhoozi had personally authorised him to announce his presidential ambitions.
“Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has told me to inform you that he will run for President 2031–2036,” Kabanda said.
The declaration formally places Muhoozi, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, at the centre of an increasingly intense conversation about the country’s future political leadership.
Kabanda insisted there was no conflict between Muhoozi’s ambitions and his father’s political position, going further to claim that the planned presidential bid had been sanctioned by President Museveni.
“The journey has started now,” Kabanda told supporters as excitement filled the meeting.
The launch was held under the slogan “Muhoozi Gwe Akimala”, with PLU also unveiling an early mobilisation structure. Those present were described as the movement’s “historicals,” signalling the beginning of what could become a years-long campaign machinery.
Kabanda said the endorsement drive had officially commenced, with PLU targeting millions of signatures across the country as part of its early grassroots mobilisation.
The announcement comes just days after Muhoozi himself publicly indicated that he intended to seek the presidency in 2031, reviving ambitions he had previously put on hold while supporting his father’s political campaign.
Muhoozi’s entry into the succession conversation is particularly significant given his dual position as the country's top military officer and chairman of the politically active PLU movement. Uganda's laws governing serving military officers would require a transition out of active military service before seeking elective political office.
The development also follows days of controversy surrounding Muhoozi's outspoken social media activity, including remarks that attracted criticism from opposition figures and regional observers.
But inside Tuesday's meeting, PLU leaders appeared determined to keep the spotlight firmly on 2031.
For years, speculation over who could eventually succeed President Museveni has dominated Uganda's political discourse. Museveni, who has led the country since 1986, remains one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.
Now, with PLU openly launching Muhoozi's presidential project five years ahead of the election, the succession debate has moved from whispers and political speculation into an increasingly organised campaign conversation.
Whether Uganda is witnessing the beginning of its next major political transition remains to be seen.
But one thing became clear in Kampala on Tuesday:
PLU says the Muhoozi 2031 journey has officially begun.